Trunk



I Patented Sept. 20, I898. M. A. WHITE.

TRUNK.

(Application filed May 27, 1897.)

(No Model.)

NITE STATES MARGARET A. WHITE, OF SOUTHAMPTON, NEW YORK.

TRUNK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 611,189, dated September 20, 1898. Application filed May 27, 1897. "Serial No. 638,451. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARGARET A. WHITE,

to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in trunks; and the object of the same is to provide an improved trunk containing several trays or drawers, to any single one of which access may be obtained without disturbing the others, the invention being simple in construction and possessing advantages. over trunks now in general use.

The invention also consists of certain other novel features of construction hereinafter more particularly set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective View of my invention with the lower door open. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, and Fig. 3 is a transverse section.

Referring to the drawings, wherein similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the several views, the numeral 1 designates a trunk which is constructed in form similar to ordinary trunks now in general use and is provided with a hinged lid or cover 2, which, as shown, has a convex upper surface. and rear side of the trunk in the present instance are closed and secured to the inner surface of the end walls. Adjacent to the lid or cover are cleats 3, upon which an upper tray 4 is adapted to rest and is removable through the top of the trunk or when the lid or cover 2 is opened. At a suitable distance below the cleats 3 are-other similar cleats 5, also secured to the inner sides of the end walls of the trunk-body and adapted to receive a slidable tray 5". In the front side of the trunk a door 6 is mounted and is adapted to cover an opening, giving access to the tray 5. The

said door is hinged at its lower edge to a strip '7, which extends longitudinallythe front of the trunk, the lower edge of said door being slightly below the bottom of the tray 5, so that when said door is swung downwardly ac- The opposite ends cess may be had to the tray and the same removed from the trunk without striking interfering projections and also without unlocking and raising the lid or cover 2.

its upper edge and also with clasps whereby it may be permanently or temporarily secured. Cleats 10 are also attached to the end pieces of the trunk a short distance above the bottom thereof, and held upon these cleats is a false bottom 11. This false bottom forms the upper wall' of a lower space, in which is removably positioned a drawer 12, adapted to be divided by partitions into a number of compartments to receive small articles, although said drawer may be used without the compartments, if desired. It will be observed that the false bottom 11 provides an unyielding or rigid support, and the space between the same and the bottom of the tray 5 is intended particularly to receive dresses or other large garments, which will be protected and prevented from being crushed or wrinkled because no weight pressesuponthe same from above and they will rest easily on the said bottom 11. The drawer 12 is movable on cleats 12, which hold the said drawer at a slight elevation above the bottom of the trunk-body, and to the front portion of the lower part of said body a strip 13 is hinged at its lower edge, said strip being of the same height as the drawer-space, so as to'close the same, and has in opposite portions thereof sliding bolts adapted to engage the end walls of the trunk and secure the said strip in upright position and closed against the said drawer. To the upper edge of the strip 13 a door 14: is hinged and covers when closed the space between the false bottom and the tray 5, the said drawer being provided with clasps 15 and also with suitable locks whereby it may be secured to the strip 7, said clasps and locks on the doors being of well-known form. The door 14. can be opened independently of the strip 13, and thereby make the space between the false bottom and the tray 5 accessible, and during this operation the strip 13 will be held in closed position by the bolts 14.

From the foregoing it will be seen that articles may be placed in the tray 5, drawer 12, and upon the false bottom and access obtained to the same separately without disg This door 6 is intended to be provided with locks adjacent turbing the contents of all of them, and by this means in packing the trunk or placing articles therein they can be arranged in order in the several receptacles. This construction is decidedly advantageous, as it is very often necessary to obtain an article from a packed trunk which may be located some distance down in the same, and heretofore ordinarily all the articles above the one desired had to be removed, while in the present construction the same may be reached Without disturbing any of the other trays or uppermost articles.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is-- The combination with the trunk-body having a hinged lid or cover and separate openings at the lower and intermediate portions of the front thereof, of cleats arranged at varying elevations and secured against the inner surfaces of the ends of the said body, a false bottom secured in position at a short elevation above the bottom of said body, a drawer movably mounted in the space between the said false bottom and the bottom of said body, a tray slidingly mounted in the body above the false bottom, a door hinged to the front of the body to cover the opening through which the said tray is movable, a strip hinged to the front edge of the bottom of the body, and a door hinged to the said strip whereby the door hinged to the strip may be opened independently of the latter and the tray, drawer and false bottom made independently accessible.

I11 testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARGARET A. XVIIITE.

Witnesses:

THOMAS SMITH, ELWYN P. WHITE. 

